Amalgamator



0. A. BURGESS.

AMALGAMATOR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, 1921.

L41 %,6?& Patented p 11, 1922.

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AMALGAMATOR.

APPLICATION mwwuaza, 1921.

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Patented Apr. 111, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- unlit 'srras OMAHA. BURGESS, 0F lUYALLUP, WASHINGTON.

AIVIALGAMATOR.

Application f led June 23,

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OMAR A. Buncnss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Puyallup in the county of Pierce and State of lVashington, have invented certain .new and useful Improvements in Amalgamators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a. full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a machine for extracting precious metal from ore. and other medium containing the same.

The invention appertains most especially to amalgamators of the rotary type and provides aseparator embodying a casing, separating drums rotatably mounted therein, a pump for circulating mercury and an elec trifier in conjunction with the mercury circuit to eliminate the metal and cause the mercury to flow freely.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent and suggest themselves as the nature I of the invention'is understood.

While the drawings'illustrate an'embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that in adapting the same to meet different conditions and requirements, various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention.v

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification,

Figure 1 is a vertical central transverse section of an amalgamator embodying the invention. i

Figure 2 is an elevation as seen from the discharge side.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 as viewed from the opposite or feed side.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 the near end plate being omitted and parts being broken away, and

Figure 5 is a detail view of a portion of one of the separating drums.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the several views of the drawings by like reference characters.

The machine comprises a casing which embodies a cylinder 1, base 2 and end plates 3 and 4. The cylinder 1 and base 2 preferably consist of a single casting which is adapted to be secured to a suitable bed-or foundation.

The ends of the cylinder 1 are machined or Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

1921. Serial No. 479,852.

otherwise made true to insure the formation of a tight joint between them and the heads 3 and 4. The heads 3 and 4 are heavy and may consist of castings or may be stamped from plate metal. The heads are bolted or otherwise firmly secured tothe cylinder 1 and their central portions are made heavy to provide substantial bearings for a shaft 5 which is mounted therein and extends beyond opposite sides of the casing. A belt pulley 6 is fast to one end of the shaft 5 and an cecentric 7 is fixedly mounted upon the oppo site end portion thereof. The inner faces or walls of the cylinder or casing are lined with copper which is applied in a manner toadmit of ready replacement when required,

A feed pipe 8 leading from suitable source of supply extends through the central portion of the head 4 and projects into the casing some distance to properly deliver the ore or other metal bearing medium to the separator. The horizontal portion 8 of the feed pipe 8 is disposed to one side of the shaft 5 and terminates within the casing at a point about midway the ends or heads thereof; -A discharge pipe 9 connects with g the upper portion of .the head 3 and is considerably larger than the feed pipe 8 so as to offer a minimum resistance to the outflow. to the tallings such as crushed rock, sand and other material containing the precious metal together with water whereby the same is flooded. g

The separating means are disposed within the casing and are mounted upon the shaft .5 and rotate therewith andcomprise disks I 10 and 11 and a plurality of concentric drums l2. disks 10 and 11 are connected by means of bolts or tie rods 13 and the drums 12 are clamped or otherwise secured therebetween. The disks 10 and 11 may consist of any metal and their inner faces are lined with copper, The disk 10 is clamped to the shaft 5 between a pair of nuts 14 and the drums 12 are secured thereto in any manner and are preferably flanged and apertured to receive bolts or like faster ing means whereby replacement when necessary may be easily effected. The disk 11 has its central portion cut away to provide ample clearance for the horizontal portion 8 of the feed pipe. A cup washer 15 is interposed between "the end plate 3 and the disk 10. A similar cup washer 16 is disposed between the disk 11 and the end plate tion.

the separator and maintain close joint bctweenthe same and the heads 01' end. plates of the casing. The drums 12 preferably consist of cylinders of sheet copper of suitable gage and construction. These cylinders are perforated to provide a passage for the crushed rock, sand or other metal bearing medium. The separating drums 12 are preferably silver plated and coated with mercury wherebyto provide for the separating of the precious metal of the ore sand or the like in the form of an amalgam as well under stood in the art of collecting precious metals from their oreby the process of amalgama- The separating drums 12 are disposed so that the openings therein break. joint thereby obviating the provision of a direct provided in the length of "mercury passage for the escape ofthe material.

A mercury pipe 17 connects with the feed pipe 8 and supplies mercury to the material stantially apuracondition so asto obtain the best results in" the 'sepa'ration'of the precious metal from the. ore, sand or other me dium bearing the same."

In the operation of themachine the separating drums 1'2 and the inner faces of the,

disks 10 and 11 'aie amalgamated and elimi- Date the precious metal from the ore fed to the machine through the pipe 8, the separator rotating by power imparted to the shaft .5 through the instrumentality of the pulley 6, It is observed that the material is supplied to the innermost part of the separator and passes outwardly through th'e serie's of drums in consecutive order andis discharged from the upper portion of the casing by means of thepipe 9.3 As the precious metal is eliminated from the ore the amalgam produce'd gravitates to the bottom of thecasing and is drawn therefrom through the pipe 1? and collects in the electrifier 19 from which it may be removed at stated intervals so long asthe machine isin operation. The mercury supplied to the machine together with the material replenishes that used in the formation of an amalgam in the elimination of the precious metal fromthe'ore; The construction ofthe machine is such to permit of repairs and' repl'aceme ts being readily effected as occasion requires.

.Having; thus described the-invention, What Iclaimis:-"

. 1. An ore separator comprising a casing having a discharge in its outer portion, a rotary separator, within the casing and comprising a plurality of perforated drums having an approximate concentric"arrangement with their faces amalgamated, means for supplying the material to the central por tions of the casing and separator and means for supplying mercury to the'material pro-- liminary to its delivery andfeed to the ma chine. J '1 V 2. An ore separator of the character specified comprising a casing having adis charge at its outer portion and a centrally disposed feed; a shaft journaled in the ends of the casing, a disk secured to an end portion' of the shaft, a plurality of separating. drums attached to the disk and-rotatabl'e. therewith and a second disk havingfitslcentralportion out away 'so' as notto obstruct the feed and connected to the first mentioned disk whereby to clampthe separating drums between the two disks. r r

testimony whereof I am} my lg in-l'iresence-of two witnesses. I

. y OMAR A. BURGESS. lVitnesses: I 1 ELMnnE. Heater, I I I Bnssna GIBBS. 

